Last year’s Scotland 10K was a PR for me. That’s not saying much since I’ve never properly raced this distance. It’s always embedded in my marathon training. This year, I decided to run easy and aim for goal marathon pace.

This tends to be a crowded NYRR race. Steve and I lined up in the 7:30 min/mi pace corral. Still, it was difficult to push below a 9 min/mi at first because of course congestion. As the miles passed, the course opened up more giving us room to run a nice negative split.

Regardless of pace, it was fantastic running with Steve! We talked and joked the entire time. Then out to brunch with a great group of friends. A Saturday morning doesn’t get much better than that!

Trumping course and pace, atmosphere and Scottish flair, was my race outfit. A combination of my running kilt and a tank top with Erica’s face on it. A result of what’s now known as Margarita Sundays. Fair warning: be careful what you promise after a cocktail or two. (No lie: I love the shirt.)